ATBECHDEDKESFRGBGRITLILUNLSEMCPTIESILTLVFIROMKCYALTRBGCZEEHUPLSKBAHRIS..MTNORSMESM..................
J
JDIM360 Ver 1.28 (29 Oct 2014) - 1100000/0
Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.
3002231
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
A1
20160406
EP
14186950.3
20140930
20150519
20151030
en
en
en
20160406
201614
20160406
201614
B65D 81/20 20060101AFI20150318BHEP
B65D 81/26 20060101ALI20150318BHEP
de
Geschlossene Lebensmittelverpackungsschale
en
A closed food packaging tray
fr
Plateau d'emballage alimentaire fermé
2
Dampack International BV
101319808
D7085-EP
Calandstraat 22
4251 NZ Werkendam
NL
Rutten, Ludo
Fierkens-Heikant 11
3910 Neerpelt
BE
Klabbers, Theo
Onderdijk 137
1693 CC Wervershoof
NL
Kirkpatrick
101556242
Avenue Wolfers, 32
1310 La Hulpe
BE
AL
AT
BE
BG
CH
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
ES
FI
FR
GB
GR
HR
HU
IE
IS
IT
LI
LT
LU
LV
MC
MK
MT
NL
NO
PL
PT
RO
RS
SE
SI
SK
SM
TR
BA
ME
The tray is for fluid-exuding and oxygen sensitive food (14). It comprises a food chamber (8), a liquid chamber (9), a perforated partition (7) between the two chambers (8, 9) for supporting the food (14). The tray is filled up with modified atmosphere enveloping the food (14) thanks to the perforations (15) of the perforated partition (7). The partition (7) obturates both chambers (8, 9) and the liquid chamber (9) is empty of gas releasing material. Thanks to the invention, the modified atmosphere is not polluted. The flow of exuding fluid from on chamber to the other is very slow.
The invention relates to a food packaging tray. The food of concern may be, fresh or frozen, meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables.
It is already known, for extending the shelf life, to package perishable food in a modified gaseous environment, in taking the air out of the tray, prior to injecting the modified atmosphere and closing the tray hermetically.
This is of a particular interest for fluid-exuding and oxygen sensitive food.
Accordingly, trays are known, which are divided into
- a food chamber, where the food is received on a support, and
- a liquid chamber, where the exuding fluid is received.
Preferably, the food support is a partition wall dividing the tray into the two chambers and it is perforated so that the modified atmosphere may diffuse in both chambers and, hence, circulate around the food, envelop the food. The gas mixture can come into direct contact with the underside of the food product. EP 2 540 634 teaches such a tray.
In the tray of this prior art reference, the perforated partition support is surrounded by a circular opening through which the fluid exuding from the food may flow into the fluid chamber. For that reason, it has been often proposed to cover the bottom of the fluid chamber with an absorbing layer (absorbent), as taught for instance in US 6152295. However, the absorbent material is full of air (or gas) and, little by little, this air is coming out of the absorbing layer and modifies the modified atmosphere which is thus polluted, with the drawback of reducing the shelf life of the product.
The invention of the instant case aims at obviating such a drawback.
To this end, the invention relates to
a closed food packaging tray, for fluid-exuding and oxygen sensitive food, comprising
- a food chamber,
- a liquid chamber,
- a perforated partition between the two chambers, arranged for supporting the food,
- the tray, for extending the shelf life of the food, being filled up with modified atmosphere enveloping the food thanks to the perforations of the perforated partition,
characterized in that
- the perforated food supporting partition obturates both chambers, and
- the liquid chamber is empty of gas releasing material.
The liquid chamber of the tray of the instant case may even be empty of solid material.
The tray of the instant case has two major advantages.
The first one is the fact that there is no absorbent in the liquid chamber and, therefore, the modified atmosphere will not be modified or polluted by air. Furthermore, since there is no absorbent, there is no risk that the absorbing layer and the perforated food supporting partition come in direct contact with each other, thus no risk that i) the absorbing layer, through the perforations of the partition, sucks out liquid from the food product and ii) the modified atmosphere does not circulate around the food product anymore.
The second advantage is the fact that the exuding fluid cannot flow around the perforated partition but only through its perforations. The flow is very slow and in both ways either from the food chamber to the fluid chamber or, after having inadvertently turned the tray upside down, from the liquid chamber back to the food chamber.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the perforated partition is a permeable film, advantageously a moisture permeable film. The permeable film has a liquid communication between the two food and liquid chambers and may also have micro-perforations used for gas circulation only and too small for liquid circulation.
The bottom of the liquid chamber may have a capillary honeycomb structure.
Advantageously, in the tray of the instant application, the food supporting partition is supported by a shelf provided on the inner wall of the tray and, more advantageously, also on pillars having an height, from the bottom of the liquid chamber, such that their free ends and the top surface of the shelf lay in a common plane parallel to the bottom of the liquid chamber. By top surface of the shelf is meant the surface supporting the supporting partition.
The invention shall be better understood upon reading the following description while reverting to the attached drawing in which
- figure 1 is a perspective top view of the tray of the invention;
- figure 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the tray of figure 1;
- figure 3 is a top view, at a larger scale, of a portion of the bottom of the liquid chamber of the tray of figure 1 and
- figure 4 is a simplified view of the perforated food supporting partition of the tray of figure 1.
Referring to figures 1, 2, the packaging tray of the instant case has a generally parallelepipedic shape with an outer side wall 1, and a bottom 2. In a plane generally parallel to the bottom 2, the side wall 1 is extended by a rather thin top border 3, except that the four corners where it is slightly larger. A transparent plastic sheet 4 is secured onto the border 3 for covering and closing the tray.
The inner surface 5 of the sidewall 1 is provided with a shelf 6 for supporting a perforated food supporting partition 7, dividing the tray into a food chamber 8 and a liquid chamber 9 (figure 2).
The height of the partition 7 above the bottom 2 is small, compared to the height of the closing sheet 4 above the partition 7.
The perforated food supporting partition 7 obturates both chambers 8, 9.
The liquid chamber 9 is empty of absorbant material. Actually, the chamber is empty of gas releasing material; it could be just empty of air or oxygen releasing material.
The bottom 2 of the tray has here a capillary structure 10, here a honeycomb structure, as shown on figure 3, with, here, hexagonal recesses 16.
Pillars 11 are provided on the bottom 2, of an height such that their free ends 12 lie here in the same plane as the top annular surface 13 of the shelf 6 forming a shoulder supporting the partition 7.
In the instant case, the perforated partition is a permeable film 7, which could be preferably a moisture permeable film.
The tray as described above will be used as follows.
The permeable film 7 having been secured onto the annular shoulder 13 of the shelf 6 and a food product 14 - here a piece of meat - having been put on the film 7, the air is taken out of the tray and a modified atmosphere is injected therein prior to closing the tray on top of the food chamber 8 by the plastic sheet 4 secured onto the top boarder 3.
Thanks to the invention and particularly to the perforations of the film 7, the modified atmosphere may diffuse in both chambers 8, 9 and circulate around the piece of meat 14. The fluid chamber 9 being empty of solid material, the modified atmosphere is not polluted.
The film 7 obturating both chambers 8, 9, in case of the piece of meat exuding fluid (blood) which can thus flow through the perforations of the film 7, exclusively, the flow is very slow and there is very little liquid which can flow to the liquid chamber. And if the tray has been turned upside down, the fluid in the liquid chamber 9 can hardly return to the food chamber 8.
In the instant case, the perforations 15 of the film 7 are designed for liquid circulation. Some of the perforations could be micro-perforations used for gas circulation only and too small for liquid circulation. In any case, the film 7 should be designed for the modified atmosphere to be able to envelop the piece of food 14 and be in contact with the underside of the food product.
1. A closed food packaging tray, for fluid-exuding and oxygen sensitive food (14), comprising
• a food chamber (8),
• a liquid chamber (9),
• a perforated partition (7) between the two chambers (8, 9) arranged for supporting the food (14),
• the tray, for extending the shelf life of the food, being filled up with modified atmosphere enveloping the food (14) thanks to the perforations (15) of the perforated partition (7),
characterized in that
• the perforated food supporting partition (7) obturates both chambers (8, 9), and
• the liquid chamber (9) is empty of gas releasing material.
2. A tray according to claim 1, wherein the liquid chamber (9) is empty of solid material.
3. A tray according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the perforated partition is a permeable film (7).
4. A tray according to claim 3, wherein the permeable film is a moisture permeable film (7).
5. A tray according to one of claims 3 and 4, wherein the permeable film (7) has a liquid communication (15) between the two food and liquid chambers (8, 9).
6. A tray according to claim 5, wherein the permeable film (7) has micro-perforations used for gas circulation only and too small for liquid circulation.
7. A tray according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the bottom (2) of the liquid chamber (9) has a capillary honeycomb structure (10).
8. A tray according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the food supporting partition (7) is supported by a shelf (6) provided on the inner wall (5) of the tray.
9. A tray according to claim 8, wherein the food supporting partition (7) is supported on pillars (11) having an height, from the bottom (2) of the liquid chamber (9), such that their free ends (12) and the top surface of the shelf (13) lie in a common plane parallel to the bottom (2) of the liquid chamber (9).

Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.
1. A closed food packaging tray, for fluid-exuding and oxygen sensitive food (14), comprising
• a food chamber (8),
• a liquid chamber (9),
• a perforated partition (7) between the two chambers (8, 9) arranged for supporting the food (14),
• the tray, for extending the shelf life of the food, being filled up with modified atmosphere enveloping the food (14) thanks to the perforations (15) of the perforated partition (7),
characterized in that
• the perforated food supporting partition (7) obturates both chambers (8, 9), and
• the liquid chamber (9) is empty of gas releasing material.
2. A tray according to claim 1, wherein the liquid chamber (9) is empty of modified atmosphere polluting solid material.
3. A tray according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the perforated partition is a permeable film (7).
4. A tray according to claim 3, wherein the permeable film is a moisture permeable film (7).
5. A tray according to one of claims 3 and 4, wherein the permeable film (7) has a liquid communication (15) between the two food and liquid chambers (8, 9).
6. A tray according to claim 5, wherein the permeable film (7) has micro-perforations used for gas circulation only and too small for liquid circulation.
7. A tray according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the bottom (2) of the liquid chamber (9) has a capillary honeycomb structure (10).
8. A tray according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the food supporting partition (7) is supported by a shelf (6) provided on the inner wall (5) of the tray.
9. A tray according to claim 8, wherein the food supporting partition (7) is supported on pillars (11) having an height, from the bottom (2) of the liquid chamber (9), such that their free ends (12) and the top surface of the shelf (13) lie in a common plane parallel to the bottom (2) of the liquid chamber (9).
D7085-EP
EP
14186950.3
Dampack International BV
2
MN
20150325
B65D
EP
2540634
A1
DAMPACK INTERNAT BV [NL]
20130102
X,D
1-6,8,9
Y
1-5,7
* the whole document *
WO
2009141213
A1
CRYOVAC INC [US]; VITEMBAL SOC IND [FR]; LONGO EUGENIO [IT]; BALDET PH
20091126
X
1-5
* abstract *
* paragraphs [0015] - [0047]; figures 1-7 *
EP
0743262
A1
SIRAP GEMA SPA [IT]
19961120
Y
1-5
* the whole document *
DE
19508484
A1
HORDIJK VERPAKKINGSIND BV [NL]
19951019
Y
1-5
* the whole document *
BE
1004887
A6
HEIRMAN GUSTAAF; CATTOIR JEAN PIERRE
19930216
Y
7
* the whole document *
EP
1832525
A1
C G L PACK SERVICE [FR]
20070912
A
7
* paragraphs [0052] - [0053]; figure 7 *
US
2004200845
A1
WATZKE DAVID [US] ET AL
20041014
A
8,9
* paragraphs [0018] - [0022]; figures 8-9 *
FR
2564807
A1
FRAIGNEAU MICHEL [FR]
19851129
A
8,9
* the whole document *
Leijten, René
Munich
20150316
EP
2540634
A1
20130102
BE
1020634
A3
20140204
DE
202012102319
U1
20120921
DK
2540634
T3
20140818
EP
2540634
A1
20130102
ES
2490966
T3
20140904
FR
2977244
A1
20130104
NL
2009039
C
20130107
PT
2540634
E
20140826
WO
2009141213
A1
20091126
BR
PI0912321
A2
20151013
EP
2276680
A1
20110126
RU
2010152350
A
20120627
US
2011266168
A1
20111103
WO
2009141213
A1
20091126
EP
0743262
A1
19961120
AT
172430
T
19981115
DE
69600820
D1
19981126
DE
69600820
T2
19990422
EP
0743262
A1
19961120
ES
2124618
T3
19990201
IT
MI951024
A1
19961119
PL
312976
A1
20001009
US
5720999
A
19980224
DE
19508484
A1
19951019
DE
19508484
A1
19951019
NL
9400389
A
19951002
BE
1004887
A6
19930216
NONE
EP
1832525
A1
20070912
AT
444919
T
20091015
EP
1832525
A1
20070912
FR
2898107
A1
20070907
US
2004200845
A1
20041014
AU
2004294924
A1
20050616
CA
2548558
A1
20050616
EP
1689651
A2
20060816
US
2004200845
A1
20041014
US
2009108005
A1
20090430
WO
2005053470
A2
20050616
FR
2564807
A1
19851129
NONE

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description
- EP
2540634
A
[0005]
- US
6152295
A
[0006]